This invention relates generally to irrigation apparatus and more particularly to irrigation apparatus for use in irrigating portions of body parts with a treatment solution to prevent or reduce infection.
Irrigation of a portion of a body part with a treatment solution quite often becomes necessary to prevent or reduce infection. Where the body has a natural cavity therein, such as a bladder or other similar organ, catheterization has been used to introduce the treatment solution into the organ and to drain fluid from the organ by gravity. Where the body part has no such natural cavity as is the case with bones, muscles and the like or a foot, arm, hand or the like, the treatment solution is typically introduced into the body part through a perforated section in a piece of tubing. Another piece of tubing connected to a vacuum source is positioned in the body part at a position spaced from the injection tubing so that the treatment solution must migrate through the body part from the injection tubing to the vacuum tubing before being withdrawn. Both of these prior art irrigation techniques have problems associated with the use thereof. One of the primary problems associated therewith is that the drain from the body part frequently becomes blocked, thereby requiring frequent monitoring to see if the drain is blocked. Further appropriate cleaning techniques must be used to clear this blockage. Another problem associated therewith is that surgical procedures are frequently required to install and/or remove the irrigation apparatus from the body part.